Problem: Simplify $$(x^3+4x^2-7x+11)+(-4x^4-x^3+x^2+7x+3).$$  Express your answer as a polynomial with the terms in order by decreasing degree.
Answer: We rearrange the sum to make it easier to collect like terms: \begin{align*}
&(x^3+4x^2-7x+11)+(-4x^4-x^3+x^2+7x+3)\\
&\qquad=-4x^4+(1-1)x^3+(1+4)x^2+(-7+7)x+(11+3)\\
&\qquad=\boxed{-4x^4+5x^2+14}.
\end{align*}